Making Use of The Weekend
by PhoebeSnow
Summary: AU. Natasha gets more than she bargains for when a cute little dog named Bucky ruins her tomato garden and his handsome owner, Steve, walks into her life.
1. A Catastrophe of Tomato Proportions

**A/N: This is my first baby step into writing for the Marvel fanfiction! :D**

* * *

Natasha sat up and slowly opened her eyes. Seconds later, her alarm came on, Seals and Croft's 'Hummingbird' playing loudly in her ear. As much as Natasha loved the song, she slammed her hand down on the alarm, silencing it. It was too early for music.

 _Wait a minute. What was that sound?_ She could have sworn that she heard a bark in her yard. The red head rubbed her eyes and yawned, stretching her arms out. Then there was that bark again, only this time, it was much louder. She pulled back the covers and grabbed a jacket, zipping it up as she walked out of her room. There was another bark and another. Natasha froze when she got to the kitchen and opened her window blinds.

"No, no, no! Not the tomatoes! Augh!" She yelled in anger and unlocked the door, running outside to her backyard. The little tomato garden she had planted months ago was now utterly destroyed. The vegetables she had worked so hard planting were strewn all over the backyard. It was a tomato massacre.

Natasha scowled as the source of the barking and clearly the tomato garden vandal ran up to her. He was a cute little German Shepherd with black fur, tail wagging as he smiled up at her. Natasha's eyes narrowed and she wondered if anyone would notice a missing dog. Seriously. She loved tomatoes and after all the hard work she put into her garden, this little dog had completely screwed up her long hours of toil. Not cool.

Natasha closed her eyes and sighed, centering herself. It really would do no good to blame the dog for his wilful destruction of her property. The owner was clearly to blame since he or she didn't care to train their dog poperly and teach it not to go around messing up people's gardens.

The dog yipped at her heels and she smiled a little bit. "Well, let's see what your name is, huh, boy?"

She picked up the dog and looked at his collar. The tag said 'Bucky'. She wrinkled her nose and absentmindedly rubbed the top of the puppy's chin. "What kind of a name is Bucky for a dog?" She mused to herself.

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway. I have to go through this garden and see if there's anything worth salvaging here. I'm chaining you to the fence, though, Bucky. Just in case your owner comes around looking for you. Okay?"

The dog barked and gave her a happy smile. Natasha shook her head as she went back inside her house. It didn't take long for her to find rope - who kept chains around their house anyway? - to tie Bucky to the fence with. Once she was sure that Bucky was safely secured to her fence, Natasha went back inside her house to change her clothes and eat a quick breakfast.

While she was preparing her breakfast, she glanced out the window. _'Maybe Bucky is hungry too,'_ she thought to herself. Let it not be said that Natasha Romanov wasn't a hospitable person. She went to the refrigerator and pulled out the big flank steak she'd been planning to eat later today.

"I could cut half of this up, cook it for a little while and give it to Bucky to eat. Dogs can't eat cooked food, but eating a completely raw steak isn't good for a dog either..." She mused. What a funny turn of events. First, she woke up and found that a dog destroyed her tomato garden, now she was about to make him some breakfast.

 _Amazing._

Natasha ate her breakfast first and afterwards, began cooking Bucky's steak. Once she was certain that it was cooked perfectly - well, for a dog anyway - she put it on a plate and brought it out to the canine. Bucky smelled the food and started barking excitedly. It was impossible not to smile as she put the plate down in front of him.

Bucky tore through that steak like he hadn't eaten in days. Natasha just sat there, amusedly watching the dog gobble down the food ravenously. When he finished, he jumped into her arms and barked happily. She rubbed his head again and smiled softly. Crazy dog was beginning to grow on her.

* * *

She began to search for any tomatoes that hadn't been mauled. Surprisingly, she found a good amount. Bucky hadn't caused as much damage as she believed he did. It just looked that way on account of the tomato pulp spread all over the backyard.

A grin on her face, Natasha turned to the dog and laughed. "You must really like tomatoes, huh, Bucky? Well, I'll give you this much, you may have messed up my garden, but you left enough tomatoes for me to make a couple of salads with. Probably a few dozen sandwiches too."

The dog merely gave her a big, cheesy grin and barked a few times. Natasha just shook her head and kept working. Her basket of tomatoes was getting fuller by the second. At the rate she was finding tomatoes, Natasha could probably share some of these them with a neighbour or two. There was be no way she could eat them all by herself.

Suddenly, Bucky began barking wildly and pulling at the rope. Maybe there was a squirrel or some kind of animal that he wanted to chase. Natasha ignored his barking and continued with her work. Still, Bucky would not relent and he kept barking until she thought she would go crazy. Finally, Natasha stood up and walked over to where Bucky was standing.

"What are you looking at, boy? Hmm?"

She then noticed a man walking towards her house. He was physically fit with blonde hair and when he came closer, Natasha noticed his impossibly blue eyes that she could find herself getting lost in if she weren't careful. Snapping out of her reverie, she shook her head lightly and gave the stranger a smile.

He smiled back. "Hi."

"Hey," she replied. "Is there something I can do for you?"

He scratched his head and looked at Bucky. "Oh, ha. Funny, I was going to ask you if you'd seen my dog, but here he is with you. Lucky coincidence. Hey, Bucky. Why'd you leave the house, buddy? I was worried about you."

As the man bent down to talk to his dog and give him a rub on his head, Natasha gave him a quick once-over. He was wearing a pair of rugged jeans and a white t shirt, with a pair of sneakers that had the American Stars and Stripes on them. Hm, so he was patriotic and attractive to boot. That was a plus.

"So you're his owner, then?"

He looked up at her and smiled again before returned his gaze to his pet. "Oh, yeah. By the way, I'm Steve. Steve Rogers." He straightened up and shook Natasha's hand warmly. Nice, firm handshake, he had. Not that Natasha cared.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Natasha. You can untie him since he's yours. Bucky here got into my tomato garden either last night or early this morning. I'm not sure what you feed him, but you should know that he has a passion for tomatoes. He spilled a lot of pulp over the backyard."

Steve's grimaced as he just took notice of the upturned backyard. He gave her an incredibly apologetic look and shook his head at his dog.

"Ah, Bucky, why did you do that, huh? I'm so sorry he ruined your tomatoes. See, I just moved into the green house at the end of the street this week and I'm still arranging things. The fence around my yard isn't complete, so I just had to tie Bucky to the post and hope that he wouldn't go off exploring...which he obviously did."

Natasha's previous disposition to blame Bucky's owner for laziness and negligence with his dog was quickly washed away. She couldn't believe it but she actually felt sorry for Steve. It wasn't his fault that his dog was restless.

"Hey, it's okay. Your dog was probably just excited to be in a new environment. I hold no ill will towards you or Bucky. In fact, how about a housewarming gift to celebrate your buying a house?"

Steve hooked his fingers through his belt loops. "Sure, what did you have in mind?"

This guy was kind of cute. Natasha grinned and pointed to the basket of tomatoes. "The fruits of my labor, of course."

His blue eyes flicked down to the basket and a laugh sounded from his lips. "Well, it's kind of you to offer, but I don't think I should. After all, my dog did just destroyed your tomato garden."

"Oh, that doesn't matter. Water under a bridge. I don't mind sharing with you, besides, even though he did mess up my garden, there's still a lot of perfectly fine tomatoes here. I think I planted too many, and even though I really like tomatoes, it's not like I can eat all of them by myself..." She gave him a pleasant smile with just the right bit of sweetness.

It was obvious that Steve was going to concede. Natasha could tell by the quirk of his lips and the relaxed shift of his body. She was a silent observer of people and her knack for guessing how others responded to her tended to be correct.

His blue eyes met her green ones and they both chuckled. "Yeah...alright. Why not? Who am I to turn down perfectly good vegetables?"


	2. Being Neighborly

Natasha invited Steve inside her house while she went to look for a paper bag to put his tomatoes in. She got the sense that he was shy since he hesitated before agreeing to wait in her kitchen. It just made him cuter. Not that thinking he was cute meant anything. After all, he was a complete stranger to her. Also, the fact that she kept looking back at him to make sure that he didn't run off was no big deal.

This was ridiculous. Natasha had gone through every single cabinet in her kitchen and there were no traces of any kind of paper bags. She grunted in frustration. Steve probably thought she was a lunatic or something.

She approached him with an apologetic smile. Those baby blues looked right back into her green ones and she decided that she liked his eyes. This guy really had the all American guy vibe down pat. Natasha would bet a million dollars that Steve was in Boy Scouts as a kid.

 _Okay, Nat. Shut up and focus._

"Hey...um, so this is awkward, but I can't find any paper bags anywhere. There aren't even any plastic ones, which is weird because I could have sworn that I bought some the last time I went shopping. I'll just give you a bowl instead and maybe I could come by and get it back from you later?"

"Yeah, that sounds fine. You have definitely filled your quota for being neighborly today." Steve shot her a dazzling smile.

Oh, he was too much.

"I don't usually do the neighborly thing, though. It's not that I'm not friendly or anything. I just don't go out much...and most of my neighbors are older people. This is a pretty quiet neighborhood, if you haven't already noticed. It suits me, though. I've never been one for a lot of noise."

Now she was babbling. Unintentionally of course, but still babbling nonetheless. Why would he need an explanation for why she was the way she was? He didn't even know and likely didn't care. She opened up one of her cupboards and grabbed a medium sized bowl and a matching lid for Steve's tomatoes.

"You don't have to explain yourself. I can relate. I'm not one for a lot of noise myself. Actually, and this may sound kind of silly, but I feel like I have more in common with people in their eighties than people my own age."

Well, that was surprising. By his divulging that information, Natasha felt less strange for talking about herself. She sat down across from him at her kitchen table and rested her chin on her hand.

"I feel that way, too. It's like you're out of time, watching these young people who you don't even know that you like. I've felt like this for as long as I remember. Even as a kid I was an outcast of sorts. I liked to read, but not just ordinary kids' books. I liked to read the classics. You know, Dickens, Austen, Hemingway, Brontë, Twain. I still like reading older books, even now."

Those blue eyes of Steve's sparkled and he snapped his fingers. "Same for me, too! I understand my grandmother more than these young _whippersnappers_ ," he replied. The teasing tone of his voice when he said 'whippersnappers' let her know that he was being sarcastic. "And classic literature is the best kind. I agree with that. My favorite book when I was a kid was The Time Machine."

 _We have more in common with each other than I thought._

"That's amazing! The Time Machine was my favorite when I was a teenager! Now, I really like The Secret Garden. I read it once and fell in love with it. I read it every few months or so and never get tired of it. It may not have been a tomato garden, but it was still good~"

Steve's face brightened and he opened his mouth to speak, but a bark alerted them to Bucky outside. He was running back and forth, barking at the window. Natasha's handsome neighbor laughed and stood up, pushing the chair back to the table.

"Well, I'd better go. Looks like Bucky's ready to get back home."

Darn it. Couldn't the dog have waited? They were establishing a good dialogue here and Bucky just had to butt in and ruin it! Natasha got out of her chair too and picked up the bowl. "Yeah, right. Sorry. I shouldn't keep you like this. I'm keeping you from your work. That house you bought is a little on the big side. It'll probably take a while for you to settle in."

They both went back outside to Natasha's backyard and she picked twelve juicy tomatoes to put into the bowl. She turned to Steve, trying to think of some way to leave him a hint that she'd like to see him again, but not sure how to pull it off without sounding like a desperate woman.

It's hard to let a guy know that you would be interested in seeing him again in a possibly romantic capacity when you've been out of practice in the relationship department. Natasha struggled to find the right words to say when Steve spoke up.

"I know this will probably sound weird or awkward, but I'd still like to repay you for the damage Bucky did to your garden."

Natasha was on the verge of refusing when Steve held up his hand to halt her words.

"Now, just hear me out. I propose that you come by my house for dinner tomorrow night and I'll cook us a nice meal with those tomatoes you gave me. You can't say no to that, now, can you?"

No, she couldn't.

A sly smile graced Natasha's lips and she nodded her consent. "No, I that actually sound really nice...but will your house be decent? I mean, you did just move in."

Flirtatious Natasha was flirtatious.

Steve blushed, he really blushed, and scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, I still have some things to move around, but it is a big house, and I have been living in it for a little over two weeks. There's not much I have to put up now. Don't worry. I promise that my house will be spic and span by tomorrow when you come over for dinner."

"Spic and span, huh? I haven't heard that phrase in a long time~"

"Yeah...well, I'm just an old fashioned kind of guy."

"So I see.."

They both just stood there, smirking at each other. This flirtatious verbal sparring was quite nice. It'd been a long time since Natasha had flirted with someone and actually meant it. Somehow, even though it seemed preposterous to believe, Natasha could see herself becoming good friends with this man.

Then Bucky barked again, ruining the magic. Natasha was convinced that dog wanted to drive her crazy.

Steve picked up the bowl of tomatoes and held out his hand to Natasha's. She took it without hesitating and tried to ignore the slight shiver that ran down her spine when their skin touched.

'Pull it together, Nat,' she chided internally. 'Nothing can be gained from reacting like a silly teenage girl simply because a handsome man asked you out in a date. Well, maybe not a date, per se. More like...a neighbourly dinner. No, that's stupid. This is a date.'

"So...come by, at, shall we say, six thirty?"

"Definitely. It's a date." Natasha's eye twitched once she realized what she had just said. Steve didn't sweat it. He shook her hand warmly and after a few seconds longer than necessary - not that it bothered Natasha - he replied, "It's a date."

Natasha watched Steve walk away until he was out of sight. It was hard to resist running around to her other windows and keeping her eyes on him until he was out of her sight. She managed though.

"Oh! I nearly forgot the rest of the tomatoes!" Natasha rushed outside and grabbed the basket of tomatoes and brought them in the house, and hooked the basket on a ceiling notch that held other hanging baskets in the kitchen.

"Well, who knew that I'd have a restless dog ransack my tomato garden, meet the dog's owner and, in less than an hour, end up setting a date with him for the next day?"

As any girl would be at that moment, Natasha was pretty excited. Then, her gleeful smile turned into a frown. "Oh, no. I don't have anything to wear!"


	3. This Mall Ain't Big Enough

_Natasha and the girls shop in the mall to find her the perfect dress while Steve is hanging with the boys, talking about the great neighbour he met. They all run into each other and fun times commence._

 **xxxXxxx**

"I think this dress is perfect for you, Nat! Here, what do you think?" Darcy held out an off-shoulder cream colored chiffon dress to Natasha and gave it a little shake to put emphasis on her choice.

Natasha, however, was not fond of the dress and shook her head. "No thanks, Darce. I think I'll pass on that one. I hate chiffon and that color doesn't go with my hair. It'll clash. I need something with more color."

Darcy pouted and put the dress back in its place. "You can be so picky sometimes. We've been here for over an hour. You need a dress that's going to say 'Hey, look at me! I'm sexy! I'm single! I'm the girl you never knew you wanted! Make me yours, you big strong, sexy man!' What are you trying to buy? A dress that'll make you look like an angel?

Natasha laughed and rubbed her friend's back affectionately. Darcy was always the kind to get overly excited about clothes and things. It was a part of her bubbly nature and it was cute. She made her point well, but Natasha wasn't looking to be a sex goddess. She just wanted an amazing dress without making it seem like she was trying to throw herself at Steve.

"No, but it has to be **the** dress. You know, the kind that makes me hear the chorus singing and music playing in the background. I need something more than just a cute dress, or a little black dress. It's got to say 'Natasha' all over it."

"...I think you watch too many soap operas, but okay. I hope this Steve guy is worth it. Then again, he must be if you're getting so picky over a dress. No pastels, no ruffles and no sparkles?"

Natasha snapped her fingers. "You know me too well."

Wanda had been unusually quiet the entire shopping trip and Natasha went over to her, looking over the dresses as she spoke. "So what's up with you? You've barely said two words since we came. Is everything okay?"

The brunette nodded, hands picking through the selection of dresses. "Yes, I'm fine. I just...I'm nursing a bit of a headache from that party I went to last night..."

"Oh, the party your brother threw for his girlfriend? What was her name? Crystal, right?"

Wanda scoffed. "Yes, Crystal. I do not like her."

"You don't? Why not? When I met her last month, she seemed nice."

"Nice to you, maybe, but not to me. I think she is jealous of the relationship between Pietro and I. Twins have a natural bond that keeps them connected, even if they're apart, but it doesn't mean that we are going to put each other above everything else. I have told her this on several occasions, but I don't think she believes me. It's very frustrating."

"Maybe you, Crystal and Pietro should have coffee over this and discuss it together. That way, she won't get the chance to be rude to you if he's around and you may actually come to an understanding."

"That's a good idea, Natasha. Thank you. I will text Pietro later and see if we can meet for lunch tomorrow."

"No problem. I'm always here to help my friends."

They both smiled at each other and continued sifting through the dresses. Hopefully, they would find a dress soon. Natasha's stomach was growling something fierce and she wasn't going to take it much longer. It felt like forever ago since she'd eaten.

"If we can't find anything in ten minutes, let's take a break and get something to eat. I'm pretty sure that my stomach might eat itself out of starvation."

Shaking her head, Wanda smirked at the expression on Natasha's face. "You wouldn't be so hungry all the time if you ate more meat. I don't know anyone who eats as many vegetables as you."

"That's not fair. Vegetables are good for the human body. They're healthy and they taste good."

"So does a big, fat juicy steak. Or a delicious pork roast. Or corned beef with hash. Mm, now that is healthy and delicious."

Natasha's stomach growled again. All of that food talk was making her even hungrier. "You're a terrible person, Wanda. Stop talking about food."

"Calm down. I may have a powerbar in my purse somewhere..." She started rifling around in her over-sized tote.

"Ew, no thanks. I'd rather eat peanut butter and celery."

"Natasha, your eating habits are not normal."

"Thanks, Wan. I take that as a high compliment from you."

Her friend rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Look, I'm hungry too. Let's find Darcy and get something to eat."

"Deal. We can come back and find a dress afterwards."

Both women turned to go down the aisle they had last seen Darcy on and widened their eyes when they saw all of the dresses in her arms. Darcy squealed. "Look at all of these gorgeous dresses I found, Nat! They're all green, which is your favorite color, so I'm sure you'll love one of them!"

Even though her stomach growled again in fury, Natasha stepped forward and took the dresses from her friend's grip. She looked them all over, one by one, examining them carefully. It took several minutes, but by the time she finished, all she had was two dresses to choose from, one in each hand.

"This one is pretty, but it's too...I don't know, flowy? I like it, but it's not quite what I want." Then Natasha looked at the other dress and a smile grew on her lips. "But this is perfect!"

Wanda fingered the material of the dress in her fingers. "It certainly feels nice, but this is a cocktail dress, Natasha. You said you were only going to this man's house for dinner. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Please say yes because shopping with you has made me near-delirious and I'm in desperate need of a hamburger," Darcy pleaded.

Natasha looked at the beautiful dress again and nodded. "This is the one. Let me go try it on and see how it fits." She went into one the dressing rooms and put the dress on. When she stepped out, Darcy snapped a picture of Natasha with her iPhone.

Glaring, Wanda poked Darcy on the arm and hissed, "Why did you do that? You know that some stores hate it when people take pictures of people wearing merchandise unless they buy it?!"

Darcy stuffed her phone into her back pocket and rolled her eyes. "Chill, Wanda. She's already going to purchase the dress, so it's kind of hers anyway. Right, Nat?"

"Yes, I am buying it. It fits me perfectly..."

"Thank **GOD**. Now we can eat. I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse. Tomato man had better compliment you on that dress or I will give him the Darcy Lewis beat down."

Wanda snorted. "You mean you'll force him to listen to your Enrique Iglesias cds? Oh, yeah. That is definitely scary. I'd be afraid of you too after listening to that garbage."

"How can you say that about Enrique? He's an amazing artist!"

"Sure. A great, whiny artist with as much musical talent as a stack of pancakes."

"Hey, that's not funny!"

Natasha rolled her eyes went back into the dressing room to change back to her other clothes. It would be a while before those two stopped arguing.

"So what does she look like?"

"Tony, I already told you what she looks like. She's around five-three, slender, green eyes, and the reddest hair I've ever seen."

"Well, yeah. But is her hair dye red or really red? Because I have never known any redheads who have actual red hair like what you describe on this girl. I mean, I'm not cracking on you, Steve, but it sounds like she may have dyed it, that's all I'm saying. You know what? You should ask her if it's real."

Sometimes Tony said the most outrageous things. Steve rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "There is no way I am going to ask her if her hair color is real or not. And no man in his right mind should do that to any woman unless he wants to get slapped. Besides, I have a good eye for color. I think I know dyed hair from natural hair."

Sam laughed. "Man, I've known you for ten years and I've never heard you talk about a woman like this before."

Steve quirked his eyebrows and turned to his friend. "What do you mean? I was just describing what she looks like."

"It's not just the description, it's the way you're saying it. Admit it, man. You like this girl, and from what you've told us about her, she likes you, too."

Tony took a bite of his hamburger and raised his finger as if he had something important to say. "Um...I think that you are incredibly lucky to get a date with a hot woman who is your neighbor and who forgave you and Bucky for destroying her tomato garden. I highly doubt Pepper would have given me a chance like that if my dog ruined her garden."

"Well, first, Tony, you'd have to actually be able to take care of a dog before it could ruin someone's tomato garden." Sam replied with a smirk.

"Hey, that's not fair. Steve, you know I have the ability to take care of a dog. I mean, it's a dog. How hard could that be?"

Sam and Steve were used to Tony's antics, so they just laughed. The fat that he needed validation from someone that he could take care of a dog was just proof that he couldn't.

Leaning back in his chair, Steve replied, "So you're telling us that you'd be willing to buy dog food weekly, take a dog out on walks, scoop up his poop when he has to go, pay for him to get his shots at the vet-"

Tony interrupted here, a curl in his lip. "Uh, actually, see, no. I can do everything but the pooper scooper. That's not gonna be me. Maybe I could pay Pepper to do that for me. No, I have no desire to get that close with any dog."

"You would pay Pepper to take your dog on walks and scoop his droppings? Stark, you never cease to amaze. That is just sad, man." Sam drank the rest of his soda and dumped the empty cup in the trash. They all got up from their seats at the food court and began walking.

Tony continued to try and make himself sound redeemable after that comment, but Sam and Steve weren't hearing it. They all laughed, joked and tossed their empty food containers in the garbage when they were finished.

Steve didn't realize it, but Natasha and her friends were several feet away from he and his group of friends. Darcy did, though, and proceeded to respond in typical Darcy-like fashion. She smacked Natasha on the elbow and pointed towards the food court.

"Whoa! Look at that hottie with the blonde hair! He is delicious~"

Natasha and Wanda sighed communally and turned to look at the man Darcy was squealing about. Once Natasha realized who the man was, she gasped and covered her face, hiding behind a pillar. Wanda and Darcy were by her side in an instant, concerned expressions on their faces.

"Natasha...are you alright?" Wanda touched her arm.

Darcy furrowed her brow and whispered conspiratorially, "You're not on your period or anything, are you?"

Natasha's cheeks grew as red as the tomatoes she planted and she scowled at her friend. This was not the time for foolish questions. "Of course not! Really, Darcy!"

"Well, then, what is going on with you and why are you hiding? Oh...you don't want Mr. Hottie to see you, is that it?"

"Don't call him that! It just so happens, smarty mouth, that Mr. Hottie is Steve Rogers, the very man who I am going to eat dinner with tonight!"

Both of the other women stared at Natasha, then they slowly looked at Steve with wide eyes. Wanda raised her eyebrows and clapped low enough so only the three of them could hear it. "Bravo. He is very handsome, and your new neighbor, too? I have to say, I am a little bit jealous of you."

Darcy did a little dance, shaking her hips. "Aha! I knew it! I had a feeling that Mr. Hottie was... **hot**! And he is, but why are you hiding, Nat? You should go say hello!"

That was a good idea, but for some reason Natasha was nervous about greeting Steve in such a public place. He was with friends, for one, and she had no knowledge of him informing them about her or not. Normally, a guy would tell his male friends that he met a girl and was going to have a date with her, but Natasha didn't know Steve well enough to assume he would do that. It made her a little anxious, too, because she had her dress in her hands.

It would also be mortifying if he found out that she was shopping for a dress to their dinner date tonight. He might think she was pathetic or some kind of weirdo who expected something romantic to occur between them.

"...I..I don't know.."

It was annoying watching Natasha stutter around like a schoolgirl. So Darcy grabbed her friend by the arm and tugged her towards the food court. Natasha tugged back and tried to hide behind the pillar again, but Darcy was having none of that. She tickled Natasha's sides and the redhead began laughing out loud, covering her mouth in effort to stop the sound from escaping her lips. Wanda just grinned and followed them.

"Quit! Darcy! No, I said I don't want to say hi!"

"Why not? Your parents would be mad at your dishospitality, you know."

"That's not even a word!"

"It is now. Stop fidgeting! Geez, we don't have to stay long since we already ate, okay? Let's just go over, say hi, then we can get out of here. Wanda's always good for scaring the men off, right, Wan?"

Wanda threw her fist up at Darcy, a slightly irritated look on her face. "Shut up, Darcy. Just make sure you don't embarrass us again, like you always do."

Darcy merely stuck her tongue out.

When they reached Steve, Natasha looked down at her jean jacket, yellow v neck, brown capris and ankle wedges. Not exactly stylish, but she had dressed for comfort, not sex appeal. She ran a hand through her hair and smiled once her eyes met Steve's.

He stood up and walked over to her, a big smile on his face. Natasha tossed the garment bag to Wanda, who gave her a curious glance, but held the dress as if it belonged to her. Darcy stepped in front of Steve before he could greet Natasha and began chattering away.

"So you must be Mr. Hot-" Natasha nudged Darcy in the side at this - "Steve, right?"

Steve looked from Natasha to Darcy and nodded his affirmation. "Yes, that's me. You must be friends?"

Darcy shook his hand enthusiastically. "Oh, yeah! I'm like the annoying little sister that Nat never had! My name's Darcy and the stiff one next to me is Wanda. She's Nat's cousin."

Steve reached over to shake Wanda's hand. "Hi, nice to meet you."

Wanda gave Darcy a glare and Steve a healthy once-over. My, he was handsome. No wonder Natasha was nervous about seeing him. "Just ignore Darcy. She likes to add a lot of unnecessary drama wherever she goes."

"Yes, it's her favorite pastime." Natasha cleared her throat and motioned to the two men who were coming up behind Steve. One was a handsome black guy with a nice smile, the other was a white guy with sunglasses on, so she couldn't see his face. "Friends of yours, too?"

Tony and Sam smiled at the girls. Tony took the initiative and shook each woman's hand. "Hey, I'm Tony, this is Sam. I heard you say your name was Darcy and Wanda?"

The girls nodded and smiled at him. They shook his hand and Sam's congenially. Afterwards, Tony's eyes rested on Natasha and he took his glasses off, folding them and placing them in his jacket pocket. "And you must be Natasha." He took her hand in his and kissed it reverently. Neither of them noticed the irritated gleam in Steve's eyes.

"Yes...how did you know my name?"

"Oh, my buddy over here has been raving about your fascinating personality. Honestly, I've never seen him so flustered over a girl. I think you might even be the **one** , Natasha..."

Natasha could feel the redness rush to her cheeks and she struggled to respond. Fortunately, she didn't have to. Steve quickly moved forward and pushed Tony out of the way.

"Okay, Tony. That's enough," he said in an authoritative voice. Tony just shrugged and started talking to Darcy and Wanda. Steve gave Natasha a sheepish look and lowered his head to hers.

"I'm sorry about that. My friend...he likes to tease me a lot and embarrass me in front of other people."

"Well, he and Darcy have that in common."

"Really? Interesting. Ah...listen, are we still on for tonight? Tony didn't make things awkward for you, did he? If you want to back out, I'll understand."

"Oh, no! I don't want to back out. After all, I'm curious to see what kind of meal you're going to fix with those tomatoes. And I would like to see Bucky again."

Steve put a hand on his chest and sighed. "And here, you're only using me for my tomatoes and my dog. That hurts, you know."

Natasha laughed and nudged Steve gently. He was still very cute and she had to admit that she enjoyed talking to him. He possessed a disarming personality that made her at ease being around him.

"Well, I did give you the tomatoes in the first place and Bucky loves me, so I think I can get away with using you just this once."

The twinkling in Steve's eyes disappeared and, suddenly, he looked very serious. His voice lowered to a whisper as he said, "Who says it just has to be once?"

A shiver ran down Natasha's spine and she blinked three times, surprised by the seductive whisper. Her eyes flickered to Steve's lips and, for a second, she wondered what it would be like to kiss them. Before she could respond, Darcy poked her on the side, ending Natasha's reverie and mildly causing her annoyance.

"What is it, Darce?" She asked a little grumpily.

Darcy looked at Steve and Natasha, an apologetic look in her face. "Sorry to interrupt, but I have to get home. Remember, my friend Jane is coming over at two to help me with that stupid science test?"

"Oh. Yeah. I almost forgot. We'd better go then. It's already past one-thirty." Natasha gave Steve a tiny wave. "So I'll see you tonight, then."

Steve caught her hand and raised it to his lips, giving her knuckles a brief kiss. "I'll be waiting."

Darcy stared at them with her mouth hanging open. It wasn't every day you see a man kiss a woman's hand, especially a woman he didn't know that well. Maybe Tony was right. Maybe Steve really was whipped...

"Bye..." The word was hushed as it came from Natasha's lips and she turned to her friends. They all exchanged farewells and went their separate ways. As Tony and Sam went over to Steve, Sam tucked a piece of paper in his back pocket. Tony noticed it and pointed. "Hey, what was that you just put in your pocket?"

Sam grinned. "Darcy's phone number."

A wide grin spread on Tony's face and he punched Sam's arm playfully. "Why you sly dog. I didn't realize the two of you hit it off so well in such a short amount of time. You, my friend, work fast. And Steve?"

Steve looked over at his friend. "Hm?"

"You were right. Natasha's hair is real. That is **definitely** not a dye job."

Steve and Sam rolled their eyes.

In Natasha's car, Darcy was texting rapidly on her cell phone. Curious, Natasha asked her, "Make sure to come back up for air, Darce. Who are you texting anyway?"

"Just Clint."

Great. Of course Darcy would send him a text and tattle on Natasha. She always did that, ever since they were kids. Clint never had to wonder what was going on with Natasha because Darcy would always blab about her activities.

"Thanks a lot, Darce. What did you tell him? That I was going out with a hottie?"

"No."

Well, that was a surprise. "Oh. Good."

"I told him that you were going out with a strange man you haven't even known for an hour and you're going to his house to have a romantic dinner by candlelight."

Natasha gasped and used her free hand to hit Darcy's leg. "What?! Darcy Reneè Lewis, if I weren't driving this car, I would kick your butt right now!"

Wanda started laughing in the backseat. "Nice! I can only imagine what Clint will say. Natasha, please call me after he contacts you. I'm sure you will have an interesting conversation."

"Thanks for the support, Wanda." Natasha shot her friend a glare in the review mirror.

"Anytime."

In minutes, they pulled up to Darcy's apartment and the girl got out of the car, blowing a kiss to Natasha. "Let me know how everything goes tonight. Don't let Mr. Hottie- I mean, Steve keep you up too long. He looks like he's prepared for anything~"

If Natasha hadn't been driving, she would have thrown a shoe at Darcy.


	4. In The Saddle

**This chapter was so long that I had to cut it in half! The really angsty part will be in the next chapter. This one is mostly filler leading up to the heavy stuff.**

 _xxxXxxx_

 _Nat gets a call from Clint, then she and Steve have their date_.

 _xxxXxxx_

Natasha was applying a little bit of eyeliner in preparation for her date with Steve when her cell phone rang. Looking at the screen, she groaned when she realized that it was Clint.

"And here I was, hoping that he wouldn't get around to calling me today." Sighing, Natasha picked up her phone and held it to her ear, convinced that the reason for this call was related to the date she was about to go on in...twenty minutes or so.

"Hi, Clint. What's up?"

"Very funny. You know why I called. Who is this strange man that Darcy told you're going out on a date with?"

An exasperated sigh came from Natasha's lips and she turned on the speaker option on her phone so she wouldn't have to juggle applying her make-up and holding her cell to her ear.

"He's not a stranger...well, not exactly. He's my neighbor and he's a perfectly nice guy, thank you very much."

"Oh, really? Nat, for all you know, the guy could be some kind of deranged serial killer. They always say that the nice guys are the ones who end up having piles of bones on their basements."

Natasha rolled her eyes and began to touch up her lower right eyelid. Leave it to Clint to exaggerate. "Well, I'll be sure to ask him what kind of smells emanate from his basement, then."

Clint growled and spoke in a harsh tone. "Nat, this isn't funny."

"I know. I'm not trying to be funny. Look, I understand that you're only doing what big brothers do. Protect their little sister and all that, but I'm not a child anymore, Clint. I have a black belt in karate. I know martial arts and Krav Maga. I think I'm pretty prepared for anything that could possibly happen tonight."

There was a short silence before Clint spoke. "I know you can handle yourself, Nat. I wouldn't try to say that you're weak or gullible. It's just...sometimes, I worry about you. That's all."

She couldn't help the big smile that spread across her face. Natasha really did love how protective her foster brother was of her. It was encouraging to know that she always had his support and that he was looking out for her.

"And you don't need to do that. Clint, I know I haven't been in the dating game for years and I don't have a clue about how to test the waters the right way...but I like this guy. Also, I'm not trying to boast, but I am a pretty good judge of character. I'm not blinded by my attraction to him, and there was nothing that set off those warning bells in my head that he could be trouble."

There was silence on the other end of the phone and Natasha knew it meant that Clint was calming down. "Well, when you put it that way, I guess I don't have a valid argument. It's not just that I don't want you to get hurt by this guy, but I don't want you to get _hurt_."

When Clint said 'hurt' the second time, she knew immediately that he meant he didn't want her to have her heart broken by Steve. She put down her lip balm and crossed her arms, looking down at the phone. She closed her eyes for a moment, then picked up the phone, turned off the speaker option and held the mobile close to her ear.

"Clint, I don't want to be hurt either, but sometimes, you have to take the plunge and risk throwing yourself out on a limb for a relationship."

A chuckle came from the phone. "Oh, a 'relationship'? Is that what you're calling this thing between you and your neighbor now?"

Natasha hated that she was blushing. She hadn't meant to say that word out loud, and on the phone to her older brother for goodness' sake. However, she wasn't going to take it back or pretend that she never said it, because she did. There was no shame in that.

"Yes, relationship. I honestly can say that I find it possible to see myself in a relationship with Steve. Whatever happens tonight will either confirm or deny that."

"Hmm."

Natasha looked at her clock and did a double take when she realized what time it was. "Listen, Clint. I really have to go. I still need to do a little more touching up of my make-up and I have to get over to Steve's house in fifteen minutes or less. We can talk later, okay?"

"Yeah, sure, but on the flip side that he's a jerk, make sure that he know you have an older brother who is't afraid to break his legs if I need to."

She snickered and shook her head. "Oh, alright. I'll talk to you later, Clint. Say goodnight to Laura and kids for me."

"Will do. Goodnight, Nat."

"Goodnight."

Natasha turned off her cell phone and put it back down on her bathroom rack. With another quick swipe of her lip balm, she looked at herself in the mirror. It had definitely been a long time since she's gone out on a date with a guy, but she felt very at ease with the situation. After all, Steve seemed really sweet and Natasha wanted to know more about him. She moved a lock of her red hair behind her ear and nodded to herself confidently. Time to go.

Several minutes later, Natasha was standing in front of Steve's house and she knocked on the door. Self-consciously, she ran her hands over the front of her dress and waited for him to answer. It didn't take a full minute before Steve opened the door, eyes full of pleasure to see her and an infectious grin on his face.

"You're here!" He said, somewhat ecstatically. Natasha laughed at his almost childlike excitement at her arrival.

"Well, don't get me wrong, Rogers. I came here to see your cute little puppy and to be fed. Being in your company is just an added bonus." Her tone was light and playful.

Steve ushered her in as he replied, "Oh, well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but Bucky is asleep now. We had an appointment at the vet today. There was a toy bone that got stuck in Bucky's throat, so the doctor had to remove it."

Natasha covered her mouth with her hand and she gave Steve a sorrowful look. "Oh, my goodness. I'm so sorry to hear that. Poor Bucky...will he be alright?"

"Mmhm, he'll be just fine after a good day of rest. The vet had to drug Bucky to keep him still so he could get the toy bone out, so that's why Bucky is out for the count today. If you ever get a dog, never buy him or her small chew toys of any kind. They're very dangerous."

"I'll have to remember that." Natasha rubbed her arms together and looked over her surroundings. "Wow...this house is very beautiful, Steve." His home had a lovely fireplace and the walls were covered in a dark blue with black spiral patterns. She took notice of a large sofa in the living room, a clock hanging on the wall above the couch and a thick braided rug in front of the fireplace.

"Thanks, Natasha. I'm just trying to find the right knick knacks to put around here. I'm not big on home decor."

"Well, I'm not so great with decor either, but if you'd like a few tips, I'd be happy to help."

"Thanks." He took a step back and looked at her dress carefully. Natasha fought the urge to blush as Steve's gaze moved over her body. When his blue eyes met her green ones, he smiled and shook his head in amazement.

"Wow...saying you look beautiful is an understatement. That dress is lovely on you, Natasha. It really compliments your hair."

She returned his smile and touched the soft fabric gently. Darcy was right when she said that Natasha would like the dress. It was quite possibly the most perfect dress she'd ever worn in her entire life. The fact that Steve liked it on her just made her even happier that she chose to purchase it.

"Thank you. I don't get many opportunities to dress up like this. You look handsome." She took a look at his dark blue button down shirt, black slacks and soft soled shoes. He looked incredibly handsome and he smelled good, too. She hinted that he might have put on a bit of Old Spice for the occasion. Major points for that. Natasha adored Old Spice, and on a young man whom she had an interest in, it was even more of a bonus.

Steve was the one who blushed now. "Thank you, Natasha." He wasn't used to a lot of praise either. Now, he had his share of women who shamelessly flirted with him at different times of his life, but hearing a compliment from Natasha meant more than anything those hollow flirtations did. This was something real and genuine.

A delicious smell came to Natasha's nose and she sniffed to get a better idea of what it was. Maybe...marinated fish? "You're cooking something in the oven, right? I can smell it. You might want to check up on it..."

Steve's blue eyes widened as he snapped his head towards the direction the scent was coming from. "Oh!" He hurried to the kitchen, muttering, "I can't believe I didn't take it out five minutes ago!"

Natasha followed him and leaned against the breakfast counter as he donned oven mitts and opened the oven door. She watched the muscles in his arms bulge - he pushed up his sleeves before he put the mitts - as he picked up the hot dish and moved it from the oven.

 _That dish isn't the only thing that's hot._

Natasha coughed awkwardly and in an attempt to change the road to the gutter that her mind was ready to take, she spoke. "Please tell me that we don't have any side dishes. I don't think my taste buds can handle the wait." She placed a hand on her stomach as she took another sniff of that amazing food. "That has to be fish, right?"

"Yes, it's flounder. I soaked it in fresh lemon and garlic overnight to give it an added burst of flavour. The tomatoes help too, but I'm sure you would know more about that than me." His eyes had a twinkle in them and Natasha found herself wondering what he meant by that.

She was just about to ask him when he said, "No, you don't have to wait any longer. We're about to eat in a few minutes. There's a pot of steamed vegetables in the microwave. Would you mind taking them out and putting them in this?" Steve pointed to a glass Tupperware container on the counter.

"Sure. The sooner we get this on plates, the sooner I can eat! I'm starving!"

Steve chuckled as Natasha moved from behind the counter and did as he asked, sighing when she caught a whiff of the vegetables. Steve lifted the cover on the the fish and once the steam expelled from the container, she felt her stomach groan again.

"You really _are_ hungry, aren't you?" He laughed and began to move the fish from the casserole dish it was in and onto a marble slab.

"Oh, you have no idea~" she responded with a shake of her head. Natasha watched his hands move expertly as he cut the fish into portions for the both of them. He must have gone to school for culinary arts with the way he cut into the fish. Could he be a chef of some kind? She wondered. She'd have to ask him about that later.

Natasha couldn't help the smile that formed on her face. Here she was, about to eat a delicious dinner with one of the most handsome men she'd ever met. To think that, only a few days ago, his crazy dog had ruined her tomato garden and now she was on a date with his owner. Life changes in the ways you'd least expect it to, and this was a nice change that Natasha could get used to.


	5. I've Built A Bridge To You

**Author's note: There is a lot of angst and fluff in this chapter. And it's so freaking long. My God. This may be the longest chapter I have written now...and it's so good! I promise you will not be disappointed!**

 _xxxXxxx_

 _Steve and Natasha have a pleasant evening and bond through their tragic pasts. Maybe more than they think..._

 _xxxXxxx_

A handful of minutes later, they were both sitting down at Steve's dining room table. Their conversation went on for a while, and Natasha found herself liking him more and more as time went by. This was dangerous territory, though, because she hadn't been in a serious relationship her whole life. Still, she couldn't help falling into the web of Steve's charm and honesty. He was unlike any man she had ever met.

He was also an amazing cook. She had never been so delighted to eat a home cooked meal in ages. "This is the _best_ fish I have ever tasted in my entire life, and I cook and eat fish regularly. What's your secret?" Natasha took a bite of her fish and followed it with a forkful of steamed vegetables.

He gave her a shy smile. "Your tomatoes actually. I used a marinate recipe from one of your cookbooks too. Three Hundred Easy Ways to Marinate."

Natasha set her fork down and looked at him with surprise and curiosity. "Really? Well, you did a good job. It turned out great." She took a sip of her wine and nodded in his direction.

"Thank you."

"I...do have one question, though. How did you know it was me who wrote that book? Was it when you came looking for Bucky in my backyard?"

"Actually, I didn't realize it was you until the mall yesterday. When my friend, Tony, was asking about what you looked like, it finally clicked. Your hair is the same length as it is in the picture, so that helped me figure it out, and I was trying out another one of your marinate recipes the day before, so I suspected it was you."

He chuckled to himself, remembering how he first got the book. "And it's even funnier to me because Tony was the one who bought that book for me as a gag gift. He never thought I'd use it, but after using the first few recipes in it, I was hooked."

Natasha blushed and looked back down to her plate, taking another bit of her fish. She wasn't used to such affirmation before and it made her feel warm inside, especially because of the person who was complimenting her. "Thank you..." She said quietly, a tiny smile on her face.

Her blush was adorable and Steve couldn't resist grinning once he saw her try to hide it. There was just something...magnetic about this woman. He wanted to know her better.

After a sip of his own glass of wine, he asked her, "You're welcome! What I want to know is where did you get the pen name Natalie Rushman? That's not a name you hear every day. Did it take a while for you to come up with it or...?" He broke off his sentence, letting her interject when she was ready.

"Actually, Natalie Rushman is just one of those names that came to me when I least expected it. I can't even remember when I thought of it, but it just fit perfectly. I think it has a bit more appeal than my real name."

With that comment, he had a feeling that maybe Natasha wasn't American. Perhaps even had immigrants in her family? Steve, himself, was the son of Irish immigrants who came to the US when he was just a baby. "So what is your _real_ name, if you don't mind my asking?"

Those green orbs of Natasha's held Steve's gaze for a few seconds before she finally said, "My real name is Natalya Romanova."

"Ah, Russian?"

"Yes...when I was nineteen, I started telling people to call me Natasha. It makes my last name sound a lot easier because it rolls off the tongue. I used to be ashamed of my birth name for years."

As Natasha talked, her voice became a little tight as if it were a struggle to get the words out. What she was about to tell him wasn't a part of her childhood that was nice or warm and cuddly like some.

"It's a little hard, making friends in an American school when you're a skinny Russian girl with dark red hair and green eyes. Some of the kids made fun of me, called me a witch, a vampire, stuff like that." At this, Steve impulsively reached across the table and squeezed her hand. Natasha didn't pull back or show any sign of discomfort at his action and he was glad of it.

"When my parents died in a plane accident, it got even harder. I had just turned sixteen and was far too old for any adoptive families to take in. They all wanted babies or toddlers, you know. I did get adopted towards the end of the year, by a couple named Tom and Katherine Barton." Natasha's lips involuntarily smiled as they always did when she spoke of her adoptive parents.

"They only had one son, Clint, who is a year older than me. They always wanted a girl, but could never have another child after Clint, so they decided to adopt. They didn't want to go through waking up in the middle of the night, changing diapers and hiring babysitters when no one would be at home. They wanted an older kid who knew how to take care of herself. So, in the end, they chose me, and I have never stopped being grateful to them. Even though I will always love my biological parents, the Bartons-Tom and Katherine - are my parents too. I even got used to calling them 'mom' and 'dad' after a while."

Steve listened to Natasha intently, finding her story very heartwarming. As she revealed more about herself, he began to understand why she seemed a little closed off when they first met in her backyard a couple of days ago. She was a sensitive soul and deserved to be truly loved by someone.

It was incredible to think that she hadn't found the right guy yet. However, Steve felt immensely relieved that she was still single. He would be lying if he said he had no designs on her himself. She was slowly showing herself to be a fascinating woman and he wanted to know more about her.

After a while, he finally spoke, wanting to know why in the world she wasn't involved with anyone yet. He decided to word his phrasing carefully so it wouldn't sound like he was trying to pry, even though he really **was**.

"So you've said that your brother is married to Laura and they have three kids. You're successful and write your own books-"

Natasha raises a finger in the air and smirks at him. "Ah, _cookbooks_."

"Right, cookbooks." He leaned forward, locking his eyes on her own. "You're beautiful, charming and talented, so why in the world haven't you settled down, Natasha?"

 _Wow. Lay it on thick, there, maestro._

She blushed. No one had ever been this earnest with her before. Truthfully, she really liked it, but it was still strange to be asked something so personal. She knew that Steve was serious about his question from the way his eyes gazed so intently into her own.

"...I just haven't met the right guy. It's not like I lack self-confidence or I'm too shy to meet people, but...I don't feel the need to advertise myself at the expense of finding Mr. Right. You meet a lot of bad people that way. I've seen it happen with my own friends." She took another sip of wine before continuing.

"Clint and Laura have tried to set me up with a few men before and it didn't work. There was one guy who was pretty nice. His name was Bruce Banner and he was kind of nerdy in a cute, scientist kind of way, but it wasn't meant to be. He was focused on school, getting his degrees, and even though I liked him, I think we both knew we were just wasting our time on a meaningless fling that wouldn't amount to much."

Crossing her legs under her body, Natasha gave Steve a look of renewed interest and she cocked her head to the side, examining his features. "Why the questions about my love life, Rogers? Are you interested in filling the empty space?" Never let it be said that wine kept a person from speaking their mind.

Steve's cheeks turned red and he coughed. "I would never be so presumptuous." He gave her a curious glance, then looked over at her plate. "If you're finished with that, I can take it and wash it now."

"Sure." Natasha picked up her plate and stood. Steve did the same and he walked over to her, taking the plate from her hands. Natasha couldn't help but shiver inwardly as their hands touched, if only, for a brief moment. Steve looked down at her, their eyes locking. Natasha felt her breath hitch when Steve's eyes lowered to her lips. She nearly gasped when she realized that his pupils had dilated. Neither of them said anything and electricity crackled in the air between them. Then, the spell was broke once he pulled his hand back and made his way to the kitchen.

Natasha followed him wordlessly, unsure of what to say after that...moment. She cursed inwardly, because she knew that Steve wanted to kiss her and God knows she wanted him to kiss her too, but it was too soon. They barely knew each other. "So what about you?" She blurted out, desperate to change the charge in the atmosphere.

Steve began to fill the kitchen sink with soapy water and he turned to look at her. "What about me?"

"Quid pro quo, Rogers. I gave you insight into my home life. It's your turn to bare your soul~" Yes, she said that last sentence with a seductive tilt to it, but she a bit tipsier than usual and she didn't care.

A smirk appeared on Steve's features and he crossed his arms. "Well, there isn't much to say. My mom and dad, Sarah and Joseph Rogers...were Irish immigrants. They moved to the states right before I was born. Mom and her family still don't talk to this day because they considered my dad to be beneath them."

This was obviously a sore subject for Steve because his jaw tensed and his eyes darkened. Natasha took a chance and placed her hand on his arm gently. "Steve...if you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to."

He looked down at her and smiled. "It's okay. It happened a long time ago. I can talk about it." He turned off the water and began to wash the dishes on the sink. Natasha rinsed them as listened to him as he spoke again.

"My dad was a carpenter and my mom's family came from a long line of nobility. Dukes, earls, that kind of thing. They're not so high up on the food chain now, but it's safe to say that most of my relatives on my mom's side are pretty well off..."

"When my mom told them she was in love with my dad, they forbade her to marry him, so they ran away and came here in the eighties. Mom was already a nurse before they left Ireland, so she didn't have a problem getting a job here, but dad had a difficult time trying to find carpentry work. And the places that he could have gotten a job refused him because he didn't have a degree."

By this time, Steve had finished washing the dishes and began to dry them, his brow furrowed as he recalled his earlier memories. "I think...dad felt inadequate because he had trouble finding a job and mom already had her career. It's possible that he felt like less of a man because of it and he...took his frustrations out on us with his fists."

A sharp pang gripped Natasha's heart and she covered her lips with her hand. She wasn't a clueless person. There was abuse taking place in many different families towards women and children and even men too. Natasha had never known anyone who was a victim of such violence.

"Oh, _Steve_..." Natasha couldn't help the tears that began to form in her eyes. The idea that any human being could cause such hurt to another person was mind-boggling and heartbreaking. She felt the need to do something. Hugging him would feel a little too familiar, so she placed her hand on top of his fist, smoothing her thumb over the skin. Steve griped her hand back and swallowed as he continued.

"I'd be lying if I said that I didn't miss him after they divorced. Even though he was a lousy father, he was still _my_ father. Sometimes I used to wish that he'd come back, but those feelings didn't last very long. I always kept thinking that maybe if he'd been able to find steady work doing what he loves, things wouldn't have been so bad, but that shouldn't have mattered one way or the other. There's no excuse for abusing anyone. No one deserves that kind of pain, that disrespect."

They both just stood there and Natasha stroked his hand gently. She still needed time to absorb what he told her. Looking at Steve's stricken face, she couldn't help the waves of pain that swept over her. She had never empathized with someone so strongly before.

It took a long time for her to speak, and when she did, she made sure that her voice was soothing. "Steve...I can't _imagine_ what it must have been like to live with a father like that. I know that my own words of sorrow can't do anything to make you feel better, so I won't bother with that. This I do know. You're a strong man and your mother did the right thing, getting you both away from your father. From everything you've said about the man, I don't see one bit of him in you. Your heart is pure and you're gentle, warm and kind. You're the perfect guy that any girl would be lucky to fall in love with." Her voice cracked on that last sentence and she had to look away.

"Thank you..." He said gently, appreciation in his eyes.

Steve lifted Natasha's chin so he could look her in the eyes. "And what about you, Nat? What kind of guy is a girl like you looking for?" God, that gaze...she felt like he could burn through her soul and lead a trail to her heart as his baby blues stared down into her emerald ones.

She couldn't resist the pull any longer. Natasha leaned forward on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. Steve didn't pull back like she thought he would. His hands went around her waist and pulled her closer to him. He slanted his mouth over hers and took her bottom lip between his mouth and he nibbled her, letting his tongue caress her lip gently.

Natasha moaned and gripped his shoulders, holding on for dear life as caressed her. It had been such a long time since she was kissed. Her legs grew weak and she felt her body begin to give way, taken in by the intensity of the kiss. Steve held her closer to his body so she wouldn't fall.

It was so easy, getting lost in his warm embrace, feeling his full lips against hers. It was so natural to Natasha, almost as if she could belong here with him...but she didn't. This was moving too fast for her, and as much as she would have liked to stay here in his arms, letting him kiss and caress her, it wasn't right. She was already too attached to him, thanks to his story about his past. There was a kinship between the two of them; Natasha could sense it and she was sure that Steve did too.

Even though it killed her to do it, Natasha pushed herself away from Steve, panting heavily from their kiss. She could still feel his lips on hers even after they parted. Those blue eyes gazed into hers and he stepped forward, a curious and hurt expression on his face. "Natasha...?"

"No! I'm sorry! I just-I can't do this!" Then she turned and ran from him, ignoring his calls behind her. Once she made it through his front door, she kept running until she reached her house. Unlocking the back door, she went inside and closed it. Her leg muscles were screaming at her, as they were unused to such spontaneous exertion.

Natasha ran a hand over her face and locked the door. As she trudged to her bedroom, the pain on Steve's face remained in her memory. It had hurt to see him look at her like that, but she had to leave. If she didn't, she would have found it easy to succumb to anything, and with Steve's hands holding her in place and their bodies pressed tightly together, she knew she had come dangerously close to cracking. So she ran.

Changing into a pair of shorts and a tank top, she lay in the bed and pulled the comforter over her body. There was no doubt she would have to go back to his house and explain why she left so suddenly. As Natasha began to fall asleep, she touched her lips once more, wishing that Steve were there with her. Damn emotions. Whatever happened from here and onward, Natasha was completely certain of one thing. She had already fallen for Steve Rogers.

 _xxxXxxx_

 **This is one of the prettiest fics I have ever written. I am dead serious. It's disgustingly beautiful.**


	6. It's All in Your Hands Now

_Natasha tells Wanda and Darcy how she feels about Steve and they encourage her to tell him that she loves him._

* * *

"I still can't believe that you ran from the guy. You had such a great date and then you bail on him because he kissed you? Do you know how crazy that sounds?"

"Darcy. Enough." Wanda glared at her friend. "It's obvious that there's more to the story than that, so let her finish what she was saying."

The younger girl took off her glasses and placed them on the table, a guilty expression on her face. "Sorry, Nat. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just a...little confused."

"It's alright, Darce. I'd say the same thing if I were you." Natasha sat on one of the stools around her kitchen table with Darcy and Wanda waiting for her to speak again. Normally, the redhead was at ease when it came to talking with her friends about things, but this was different.

The feelings that Steve invoked in her left her breathless and afraid of the unknown. She'd never felt so drawn to a man before and it scared her out of her mind. That was why she had run from him three days ago. She hadn't even called him, sent him a note or visited him to let him know what was going on with her and she felt very guilty for that.

These were very embarrassing things for her to admit to her friends, however, she knew that her secrets were safe with them. So she told them everything, not leaving one detail out.

Wanda listened silently as she always did, even Darcy, which surprised Natasha because she always had something to say. Once Natasha had gotten all of her thoughts off of her chest, she pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her head on them.

The other girls were taken aback by what she had said. It was touching and sweet, almost like one of those romances they all used to be so fond of reading as teenagers. After a moment's silence, Darcy gave Nat a tiny smile. "So...you're in love with him? Are you sure?"

There was no hesitation on Natasha's part when she replied. "Yes. I know it sounds crazy, but yes. I was at his house for six hours, Darcy. We had a little chit chat at first, but after that, we just...starting baring our souls. I honestly feel like I know him as much as I do you guys. I don't usually feel so close to people, much less a person I've only known for a couple of days, and barely talked to, at that. You guys know I'm not the most trusting person in the world, but with Steve, it was...different. I can't explain it." She blushed and fisted her hands on the table.

Wanda and Darcy weren't even sure what to say. They'd never seen Natasha so...enamored of a person before. Steve Rogers must definitely be some kind of special to win her heart.

Wanda touched Natasha's shoulder and squeezed it, encouragingly. "Natasha...since you feel that you love him, you need to tell him. I mean, you told us how you feel and that's great, but you did run out on him mid-kiss. For a guy, that sends mixed signals."

Darcy patted Natasha's hand and gave her a gentle smile. "I agree. Since you're sure of your feelings, tell him. Don't be afraid that you've spoiled things between the two of you. I mean, to be fair, your relationship hasn't really 'started' per se, so you're actually in a great place to patch things up."

"But he might think I'm psychotic because of how I just ran out on him. What girl with half a brain does something like that?" The redhead bit her lip and looked at Darcy, worry etched all over her face.

"Look, I'm not saying that it'll be easy, but you can't go through this, assuming that you know what he thinks about you. From what you've told me and Wanda about last night, it's very possible that he has strong feelings for you, too. In fact...I am _certain_ that he holds you in the same regard."

Wanda and Natasha gave Darcy a curious look.

"Uh, you wanna fill us in?" Asked Wanda.

Darcy grinned and drew imaginary circles on the table, which was an unusually bashful action on her part. "Well...do you remember Steve's friend, Sam?"

Natasha nodded. "Yeah, the one we met at the mall with the cute gap in his front teeth?"

"Mmhm. I don't know if you guys recall, but I gave him my phone number and we went out on a date the next day."

"What?! You never told us this! Darcy, you've been holding out!" Wanda's pinched her friend, half-annoyed, half-excited.

"I know, I know. I was going to tell you both today and surprise you, but I hadn't expected Nat to drop us the _'I love Steve'_ bomb, so I figured I'd just wait for another time to tell you."

Natasha gave Darcy a sly grin. "How was the date?"

Darcy blushed then, herself. "It was incredible! Granted, it wasn't any romantic love fest like something out of a romance film," - she nudged Natasha at this - "but it was great. We're going out again in two days."

Her two friends began to speak, but she waved her hand to stop them. "I can tell you about it later. Right now, Natasha is the one who needs our attention. Listen, when Sam and I were on our date, we talked about you and Steve a little bit. Sam was telling me how Steve called him, worried that he might have offended you and that he could have caused you to run off because of something he did."

"Oh, but that's not true! It's me who's got the problem."

Wanda chimed in here. "We know. That's why you need to talk to him and set things right. It would be unfair for you to keep the poor man worried like that, thinking that he may have scared you off. He deserves better than that, hon. You both do."

Darcy nodded and held Natasha's chin up so she wouldn't look at the table again. "You know what else Sam told me? He said that even when Steve talked to him about you, he was like a new person. He's new to the relationship thing too, but he really threw himself out there for you because he wanted to impress you. Sam was trying to help Steve come up with some clever way of apologising to you because he feels so bad about your date."

Redness grew on Natasha's cheeks and she breathed deeply. Could that be true? Steve really wanted to make this work? If he did, she'd go over there in a heartbeat and fix things between them.

"Really?" Was all the redhead could say, too overcome by her emotions to say much else.

Darcy just smiled at her and nudged her. "Oh, yeah. This guy is a _keeper_ , Natasha. I've never been more certain of anything in my life. Go get your man."

Wanda also gave her a supportive smile. "You've heard it from your two best friends, so you know we're telling the truth. Go to his house and tell him how you feel."

Natasha's smile was one of excitement as she got off of her stool. She kissed her two friends on the cheeks. "Thank you, girls. I don't know where I'd be without either of you."

"I'd expect you'd be in your bedroom, eating chocolate ice cream and watching Hallmark movies all day, so I'd have to agree with that assessment of the situation." Wanda grinned.

Darcy laughed and gave Natasha a little push. "Well, go on. Stop wasting time talking to us and go to him! We'll lock up and you can text us about your passionate reunion tomorrow."

Natasha didn't take up another second, as her friends told her. She grabbed her tennis shoes, put them on in record time and ran out of her house like her heels were on fire. Wanda and Darcy fondly watched their dear friend race down the road until they couldn't see her anymore.

"I have to admit, that is very touching. How much are you willing to bet that she spends the night?" Darcy said to Wanda with a mischievous gleam in her eye.

Wanda just swatted her on the head with a newspaper.


	7. The Heart Wants What The Heart Wants

**Warning: Disgustingly beautiful fluff and angst alert. If you're easily moved by touching 'I love you' scenes between couples, I'd suggest that you grab a handful of tissues, or a box, depending on how much you cry.**

 **This chapter was very hard for me to write on account of the heavy theme prevalent. So I hope Steve and Nat don't seem out of character to you guys. I did my best to keep them as believable as possible.**

 **This isn't the end for our two lovers! I will publish a couple of oneshots connected to this fic, which will deal with the aftermath of the story. After all, we need to see Bucky again, don't we? :D**

 **The title of this story comes from A Walk in The Clouds.**

* * *

 _Natasha and Steve admit their feelings for each other._

* * *

It took two minutes and some change for Natasha to reach Steve's house. When she got there, she had to stop for breath and grabbed her sides. She'd never run that fast before in her life and her lungs burned at the exertion.

She wiped the sweat from her brow as she leaned up against the door. Mentally, she was a blank. For some reason, all of the things she wanted to say to him just weren't there. Natasha had never been in this position before, so she wasn't sure how to go about it.

 _Speak from your heart, not your head_ , she told herself. _Tell him what you feel when you look at him and if he turns you away, at least you won't have to be tortured with what ifs._

Steeling herself, Natasha stood up straight, tugged her shirt down and raised her hand to knock on the door. It was at that moment when the door opened and Steve stepped out, bumping into her.

"Oh! What-" He started to speak, but halted when he saw who it was standing before him.

Natasha just looked up at him with a nervous smile and tried her best not to tremble in his presence. What an effect he had on her, even now. "Hi, Steve..."

"Natasha! Wha-are you...I'm so-"

She held up her hand to stop him. "Please, can we talk? I need to explain a few things to you before you continue."

"Uh, yeah. Come on in." He turned back to the door and opened it wide, allowing berth for her to go inside. "It's funny. I was just on my way to see you, actually."

Once she was inside the house, Natasha looked up at Steve with an incredulous look on her face. "You were?"

He smiled sheepishly. "I was, but you go ahead. From the look of you, you must've sprinted the whole way here, so what you've got to tell me is probably more important than what I want to tell you. Sit down." Steve motioned to his brown couch in the living room and they both sat down, facing each other.

Natasha rubbed her arms, wondering if the chill she felt had something to do with the air conditioning in the house or Steve himself. "I...I'm sorry for running out on you like I did on our date. I'm sure that wasn't what you've experienced on dates with other girls. I can't imagine what you were thinking at the time, but I just want to say that you were wonderful that night. I'd never felt so comfortable with another human being in a long time."

"I see, but...why did you leave, Natasha?"

She cleared her throat. It was hard to speak while he looked at her with those warm, caring blue eyes. Natasha's heart pounded wildly in her ears and she closed her eyes for a moment, centering herself.

"The reason I ran out was...because I felt something between us. Something strong, something that I've never felt before in my entire life. I mean, I have had a few dates with a couple of nice guys, but that's all they were. Nice guys. They didn't move me. They didn't make me feel good to be myself. See, I'm a bit on the shy side. I don't drink much, I don't party, I don't crave the nightlife. It takes a lot for me to come out of my shell."

Tears were starting to form in her eyes and she blinked them away, although some slipped down her cheeks. "I told you about my parents...how they died. Well, what I didn't tell you is that I've been hiding myself from people ever since."

Steve took a few tissues from the Kleenex box on the coffee table in front of them and held them out to her.

"Thank you..."

"Hiding yourself?"

"When my parents died, it was like a piece of my heart had been ripped out. Without them, I felt alone and insecure. I've always been mature, so there was no question that I could take care of myself, but that parental care was missing. It's like having a foot cut off. You're in pain for a long time and you eventually learn to cope without it, but you still feel the loss."

"Mom and Dad dying was a blow for me. It scared me because they were the only family I had. Our relatives live in Russia and we never had contact with them, so for all intents and purposes, I was by myself all along. I wasn't in the adoption agency long before the Bartons found me, but even then, I still got scared that something would happen and they would be taken from me too. My fear of the unknown kept me in a protective bubble. I may have been safe, but I wasn't living."

She reached out to Steve and tentatively took his hand. He smiled and squeezed her fingers gently, encouraging her to continue.

"Then I met you. Well, your crazy dog came into my yard and destroyed my tomato garden first. Then you came looking for him and I..thought you were gorgeous." Her cheeks turned red.

Steve's eyebrows rose. "You did?"

"I did, but your good looks weren't the reason I decided to talk to you. I know we had only spoken for ten, fifteen minutes, but we made a connection that I'd never had with another person and I wanted more of it. I know this may sound crazy, but I felt safe around you when you walked into my backyard and..I was smitten with you from the first moment we met, Steve."

Steve smiled the biggest, most adorable smile Natasha had seen and he held her hand, raising it to his heart. She felt how fast and hard the beats were and marvelled that she had caused this reaction

"Natasha, you're serious, aren't you?"

"Yes. I know fell in love with you a little bit that day...and even more on our date. That's why I ran. I've taught myself not to care too much about other people or else I might lose them like I lost my parents. And yet, after that night we had, I found myself _wanting_ to care about you."

Tears spilled down her cheeks and she looked down. She hadn't planned on getting so emotional, but it was unavoidable. Natasha tried to continue, but her sobs kept cutting off her words.

Steve kissed her forehead and drew her to him, holding her gently. Natasha clung to him like he was her lifeline - and in a way, he was. He felt her tears dampen his shirt, but he refused to move from the spot. Not until she initiated movement.

It felt like an hour before Natasha finally pulled back and gave Steve a shaky smile. Suddenly, she was overcome with a wave of shyness. "Sorry about your shirt..."

Steve just waved his hand. "I can put it in the dryer. Right now, you're more important than clothing."

"So where do we go from here?" She looked at him with an inquisitive expression.

The blonde circled her elbows with his thumbs. "Well...I think it's safe to say that, since I feel the same way about you, we definitely need to have a second date."

Natasha's breathing became shallow and she felt like her heart might explode out of her chest. Trembling, she looked into Steve's eyes and began to tear up again. "You feel the same way for me?"

Rich, beautiful laughter spilled from Steve's lips and he leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers. "Yes. From the moment we met, I've been smitten with you too. If you're crazy for loving me, then I'm just as crazy for loving you." He cupped her chin in his hand.

"I've never had a better time with any other woman than when I did with you. I've only had a relationship with one woman, Sharon, but she was just a waste of my time. Nobody really touched me until you on our date, Natasha. And when you kissed me...I can't explain it, but I knew that I couldn't let you get away. Not without a fight. Because that kiss we shared, it moved me deeper than I thought was possible. You can't imagine how much I wanted you then."

He kissed her brow lovingly and continued. "In a way, it's a good thing you left when you did, otherwise, I would have picked you up, carried you to my bed and made love to you."

Natasha gasped and gazed at him, eyes wide open. This was truly too good to be true. "You wanted to make love to me?"

"Yes. I _still_ do, but that can wait." Steve rested his hand on Natasha bosom, but it was not in a sexual way, rather, in a comforting way. Their eyes were fixed upon each other and they did not blink. "I want to prove that I'm worthy of your heart before I make you mine." His sweet whisper made her feel tingles all over.

"Steve, I'm so-I don't...know what to say."

"You don't have to say a thing, Nat. Just stay with me right here. We can plan our next date, go shopping together, whatever you want. I just need to have you in my arms right now."

Natasha blushed with joy that he'd called her a nickname. She buried her head in his shoulder and breathed in his scent. His touch, his smell, his voice, these were all memories she'd keep locked in her heart, so no matter how much time passed, this would always be the picture in her mind whenever she thought of him.

* * *

 **-faints from the fluff-**


	8. Epilogue: Bucky Approves

**A/N: Hey, guys and gals. I wanted to inform all of you that Making Use of The Weekend is now over with, but it will still continue through a series of ficlets and connected oneshots dealing with the aftermath of the main story. I will post these oneshots on the same story, though, so there will be no confusion. Happy reading! :D**

* * *

 _Bucky thinks back to when he first met Natasha and his hopes that she would end up with his owner, Steve._

* * *

It was true that Bucky had been restless on the fateful day that Steve met his lovely neighbour. Bucky hadn't intended to go out looking for trouble, but he was having terrible cravings at the time, and for _tomatoes_ of all things.

If he hadn't found those delicious tomatoes in Natasha's backyard, he would have just satiated his hunger by mauling a cat or two. He swore that ugly, yellow Garfield-looking tabby he'd spied on the street had been giving him nasty looks. From Bucky's trained eye, he saw that the feline had been a stray and therefore, an open target for his pent-up aggression.

Thankfully - on the ugly cat's part - Bucky had managed to find juicy, plump, gushing tomatoes in a nearby neighbour's yard and he just went crazy. As he ate the tomatoes, he felt a rush of shame run through him.

What if the person who owned these tomatoes was easily angered or one of those simpering type of people like on Dr. Phil? What if they were a notable rifleman and liked to go hunting with their friends Billy Ray and Tommy Lee? If Bucky was caught in this yard, this could be his last supper.

Sometime after he'd chomped through his thirtieth or fourteenth tomato, Bucky had passed out in a veggie coma. He lie there, semiconscious, in the tomato patch until he heard a voice shriek in horror.

 _Oh, no,_ he thought. _A woman. I hope she isn't one of those people who cut up dogs and sell their carcasses on the black market._

OKay, so maybe he watched a little too much last night television. Didn't everyone?

Anyway, the poor little German Shepherd was a bit sluggish in his movements because of his tomato eating orgy before, but he still ran up to her, barking and wagging his tail in greeting. He did his best to look as cute and innocent as possible - humans **were** suckers for puppies, after all.

To his relief, the pretty redhead picked him up and asked who would name their dog Bucky. That was very rude. Bucky was a perfectly acceptable name for a dog. He certainly had no problem with it.

Pretty redheaded lady talked about tying him to her fence, which she did, until his owner came around looking for him. Then she went back inside, made herself dinner and brought him a flank steak. **Steak.** Bucky couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten flank steak, but bless her heart, this neighbour lady _really_ knew how to cook it.

Bucky gobbled that food up like a dying man and in the back of his mind, he mused. _Hmm. You rub my chin just as nicely as Steve does. Plus, you know how to cook meat just right...I think I'll have to introduce you to my owner._

The lady had begun digging through her tomato garden later, trying to find the salvageable pieces of vegetables from what Bucky had demolished. From his perch at the fence, Bucky had lain on the ground and covered his doggy head with a paw. He was feeling very guilty about eating those tomatoes.

The redhead smiled at him and told him that the damage to her garden hadn't been as extensive as it looked. This information was well-received and Bucky barked and wagged his tail a few times at her. It was his way of apologising for being gluttonous and going through her garden.

Then his ears perked and he recognised the sound and smell of his master. Bucky jumped and barked like crazy to get Steve's attention.

 _Yes! Come over here, Steve! There's a lovely girl who made me flank steak for breakfast and rubbed my chin and I think you should marry her right away!_

She had predictably gotten up and walked over to him, wondering what he was barking about and then she saw Steve. They smiled at each other and introduced themselves.

Gorgeous neighbour lady's name was Natasha. Finally, Bucky knew what to call her when he looked at her because she was nice to look at. He was sure that Steve noticed too, since his pupils dilated when he looked Natasha over. Sexual tension, anyone?

Steve chastised Bucky for messing up Natasha's garden, but she was gracious and even offered to share some of her tomatoes with him. Both humans went into Natasha's house and they indulged themselves in more dialogue. Bucky would have been content to let them continue for a while, but he was getting sleepy and wanted to go home.

So he barked a couple of times and the two humans moved away from each other and went outside. To Bucky's amazement, Steve asked Natasha out on a dinner date at his house! The puppy was shocked. That boring Sharon girl Steve dated a while back had never even gotten a dinner date at Steve's place when he lived in an apartment. Natasha was a million times more preferable to Sharon, that was for sure.

Unfortunately, Bucky hadn't been able to make a guest appearance to Steve and Natasha's dinner on account of swallowing a rather large toy bone - **man** , that thing had hurt. He'd been drugged to the nines that day, but it was nice to watch his owner angst over his lovely neighbour afterwards.

Bucky observed Steve called Bucky and Tony, trying to figure out what went wrong between he and Natasha that night. He was even thinkin up of some creative and romantic way to bring her back.

 _Just go and talk to her, punk!_ Bucky thought the following day as he lie on Steve's chest with sobering eyes. _She's your true love! Isn't that obvious?_

Silly humans and their silly emotions.

Seriously. Human mating rituals were so lengthy and troublesome. If Bucky liked a female dog, he would sniff her butt and she would either tell him to go away or she'd give him that sultry lady dog look and they'd go to a secluded place - or not secluded, as dogs had no personal preference mating in front of humans or in a concealed space.

Imagine Bucky's surprise a few days later when he discovered Steve and Natasha hugging and being all cuddly and romantic in the living room. The puppy knew to make himself scarce and he quietly shuffled back to the doggy bed in his master's room.

To think that, a few days ago, Bucky's craving for tomatoes would bring love into Steve's life before the week was even over. The puppy smiled to himself as he settled in his bed. There was doubt about it. He was a born matchmaker.

* * *

 **Yes, I had to use Bucky's nickname for Steve in this oneshot. I'll get around to Steve calling Bucky 'jerk', later. So be on the lookout for that. :D**


	9. With You

_Steve and Natasha have a few cute moments in the store._

 _._

 _Or amorous Steve can't keep his hands to himself when it comes to his girlfriend and Nat is embarrassed because they're supposed to be getting groceries._

* * *

"What kind of bread do you want?"

"Mm, I like sourdough."

"Ugh, see this is why I came to help you shop, Steve. You've got absolutely **zero** taste in bread."

"Hey, my taste in bread is just fine."

"Sourdough is gross, Steve."

"My taste buds like it."

"Yeah, I'll say. You know, it's a miracle that you've survived this long without a woman to help you."

"Then I guess I'm lucky that I have you with me, hm?" Steve slid his arms around Natasha's waist and ran his fingers under her shirt, rubbing his thumbs against her warm flesh. She moaned from the action and smacked her boyfriend's hand once she realized where his hands were.

"Steven Grant Rogers, you stop that this instant!" She hissed and swiveled her head around to see if anyone noticed the lascivious way he touched her.

Steve chuckled and nuzzled her neck as he breathed heavily down her neck. The pale ivory of her skin was flushed red and he couldn't stop himself from grinning. It was always pleasing for him to see what an affect he had on Natasha.

"That's not what you said last night, babe." He waggled his eyebrows at her and she glared at him.

"We _cuddled_ last night, Steve," she said, arching her eyebrow.

He replied in a low, seductive tone. "True, but you made me think that you wanted us to do something else when you stripped down to that nice Victoria's Secret ensemble."

Natasha blushed and punched his arm. "It was a modest sleepdress, Rogers. Not a sexy nightie."

"Mm, you could have been wearing a bunch of paper bags glued together and still look incredible." Steve nibbled her ear and grinned when she moaned softly.

"Steve..." She cooed softly. "No pda in the grocery store. What if someone sees us?" She skittered away from her boyfriend and began walking down the aisle. Steve followed her.

"C'mon, babe. It's not like they'll care. Have you seen people these days? They let it all hang out and no one bats an eye. We're living in the perfect age of public voyeurism." He grabbed her by the waist and twirled her away from him and pulled with back, kissing her neck.

Natasha giggled and pushed him away. "Gross. You just had to bring that up."

"That's cause I know how much you like it."

"I do **not** like voyeurism!"

"Yeah, you do."

She stopped pushing the cart, crossed her arms and scowled at him. "Okay, then. Name one time where I showed interest in voyeurism."

Steve recognised the fiery look in her eyes and he smirked.

"There was that time after we had our double date with Sam and Darcy." Natasha's cheeks turned red at this. Steve saw her reaction and continued, a cocky grin on his face. "When dessert came around, she started rubbing her foot up and down his leg and you were into it."

Natasha gaped at Steve for a moment, then she slapped his arm. "Shut up! I was not into it!"

"Yes, you were! You kept ogling them the entire time. I actually started to get concerned that you were going to jump me at the end of the date." Steve was having way too much fun.

The redhead scoffed and picked up a box of Mahatma Rice Mix. There was no way she was having this kind of discussion with her boyfriend in such a public place. Not that she was planning on having this discussion when she got home either.

"What do you think? Rice or potatoes? Because I'm really partial to rice instead of potatoes. I read an article about how steak and potatoes is a bad combination for the stomach, but rice is a more suitable side dish with steak. I dunno."

Steve walked forward, ignoring the fact that she was ignoring him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back into his warm embrace and smoothed his hands over her stomach. "Alright, that was stupid. I'm sorry. Look, I'm not saying that you're voyeuristic, but sometimes people see things that just turn them on. That's not a crime."

Natasha closed her eyes and leaned back into his arms, slightly annoyed with herself that she was so forgiving towards him. "No, it's not."

"As a matter of fact...I've been guilty of voyeurism, myself."

"Really?"

"Yeah. About you."

She opened her eyes in shock. "Hu-you...felt voyeuristic about _me_?"

"Yes, ma'am," he replied with a twinkle in his eye. Steve began to fiddle with the hem of her t shirt as he spoke. "Every time I watch you walk towards me with that big smile on your face or your hands on your hips, I get excited. I can't get enough of you. Even when we hug, I can't stop thinking about what I'd like to do to you when we get alone."

Natasha moaned when she felt Steve's lips nibble her ear. Damn him for being so sexy and confident and damn her for turning into a pile of jelly whenever he touched her. He was so hard to resist. It seemed that she, too, was hard for him to resist.

"You...think about me like that?" She licked her lips and tried to keep her eyes from rolling to the back of her head. Her hands now covered his own and she entwined their fingers.

Steve tugged her until she turned and looked at him under half-lidded eyes. He gave Natasha a small smile and kissed her jaw. "Of course I do. How could I not? You're beautiful, Nat."

By now, she was sure that her cheeks were as red as the tomatoes she grew. How could he be so sexy, alluring and romantic at the same time? Natasha felt tears begin to pool in her eyes and she blinked rapidly, trying to stop them from spilling out before Steve noticed, but he did anyway.

Brushing his fingers against her cheek, he whispered, "Hey, what's wrong? I didn't say anything stupid, did I?"

"God, no. You're **perfect**. I can't imagine what would have happened if I didn't catch Bucky in my backyard last month. I might never have gotten to know you."

"Well, guess what? I'm glad we met too. My life would have been missing something important and I wouldn't have realized what it was, but I am here, now, and I'm not going anywhere."

The redhead caught her breath and shuddered from his words. Her lips trembled as she said, "You're always so wonderful, Steve..."

Steve grasped her shoulders and replied, "Nat, I swear, if you start with that _'I don't deserve you'_ stuff, I will bend you over my knee." Humor was evident in his tone and Natasha couldn't help but laugh softly along with him.

"Don't worry. I'd never say that. I'm just so happy to be with you like this." She put her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. "I love you so much." Her words came out muffled, but he heard her loud and clear.

"I love you, too. You're the best part of my life, Ms. Romanov." Steve kissed her forehead, both temples, her lips and rubbed circles on her back.

More tears trickled down her cheeks and they just stood there, in each other's arms, for several minutes. Eventually, Natasha pulled back so she could look up into her lover's face.

"Feel better?" Steve asked as he brushed her tears away again.

"Yes. I'm sorry for getting so emotional like that." She bit her lip.

"Hey, you don't have to apologize, babe. You know you're always safe to be vulnerable around me. Hell, I've gotten emotional with you a couple of times. I think it's safe to say that there aren't too many things concealed between the two of us."

She smiled and nodded. "You're right. There aren't."

"Good. Now, let's finish shopping so I can get and make you an amazing Irish dinner."

Natasha's stomach growled nearly the exact moment Steve said that. She had been eagerly anticipating this night for a while. They two of them had made a deal. One night each month, they both would cook for the each other a traditional meal from their native countries. Last week, Natasha cooked Steve beef stroganoff - or beef Romanoff, as he called it - and today, Steve was going to cook Natasha stobhach gaelach, a hearty Irish stew.

She licked her lips as she thought of it. Today would be the first day that she would watch Steve cook for her. There wasn't anything sexier than a man in the kitchen, and the fact that it was **her** boyfriend, made the idea even more sexy. Natasha felt a little chill go down her body just thinking about it. "Mm, _yes_. We should get back as soon as possible. Oh, can we get some ice cream, too?"

"Sure. A meal isn't complete without dessert." Steve pushed the cart forward until they reached the frozen food aisle. Then he took her hand and they walked over to preview the selection of ice cream that was available.

Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, "Just know that you're all the dessert I need in my life, Nat."

Her green eyes sparkled with laughter as she replied, "Oh, that was so cheesy."

"Maybe, but that doesn't it any less true. Besides, you love me regardless, cheese and all." Steve kissed her on the nose.

Natasha squeezed his hand affectionately. "Yeah, I do."


End file.
